Expanded metal fabric and method and apparatus for making same



March 27, 1962 o. s. KOSKINEN 3,026,968

EXPANDED METAL FABRIC AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAME Filed Sept. 25, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 077722" 6, flasizrrevz M QM March 27, 19 2 o. s. KOSKINEN EXPANDED METAL FABRIC AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1959 INVENTOR. 077722" 6', A as/?z7 e77.

BY flag 4 LU '3 M arra /yr? ire tea attire tree 3,026,968 EXPANDED METAL FABRIC AND METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SAME Onni S. Koskinen, 6236 Bloomfield Glens, West Bloomfield, Mich. Filed Sept. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 841,839 11 Claims. (Cl. 183-73) This invent-ion relates to what is known in the sheet metal art as an expanded metal fabric and particularly to the provision of a smooth, continuous, enlarged border along the edge portions of such a fabric.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved type of smooth, continuous border along any out edge of a piece of expanded metal fabric or the like.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a border portion for the cut edge of a piece of expanded metal fabric that is readily formed by a simple operation applied to the cut edges of the fabric.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an edging along the cut edge of a piece of expanded metal fabric that is smooth, continuous, of expanded width and formed to have a flat outer face.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a new and improved method of forming a smooth, continuous, enlarged edging along any edge of a piece of expanded metal fabric or the like.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for forming a smooth, continuous,

enlarged, edge formation on a piece of expanded metal fabric or the like.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent from a reading of the following description and a consideration of the related drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of an air cleaner for an engine that has an expanded metal fabric embodying this invention used as the side walls thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of that portion of FIG. 1 within the circle A;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the expanded metal fabric embodying this invention, the view being taken looking in the direction of the arrow 3 of FIG. 2 with the upper edging of the fabric exposed to more clearly disclose this invention;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of that portion of the fabric of FIG. 3 within the circle B;

FIG. 5 is a top plan elevation of the fabric edging shown in FIG. 4, the view being taken looking in the direction of the arrows 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan elevational view of a piece of expanded metal fabric with a reference line applied thereto to indicate the line of edge cutting when this invention is to be applied to the metal fabric, other broken lines indicating the manner of folding of the edge portions of the fabric during formation of an edging on the fabric in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view, partly in section, of one form of apparatus that can be used to practice this invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 7, the view being taken along the line 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentray, sectional, elevational view taken along the line 9--9 of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus utilized to convert sheet metal into expanded metal fabric strips preparatory to the practising of this invention.

Before considering this invention in detail it might be advantageous to first consider FIG. 10 that diagrammatically shows an unperforated sheet of metal 10 passing through an expanded metal forming machine 11 that can be similar to that shown in O. S. Koskinen Patent 2,751,978. Such a machine will convert the sheet of metal 10 into a sheet of expanded metal fabric 12. The sheet of expanded metal fabric 12 is next passed through a cutter roll 14 that has spaced apart cutters 15 that cut the sheet of expanded metal fabric 12 into strips 16. The lines 17 along which the metal fabric 12. is cut are positioned substantially midway across the flat connecting portions 18 (see FIG. 6) of the diamond-shaped apertures in the expanded metal fabric. While the cut lines 17 need not be at the mid-point of the flat connector portions 18, still, the cut lines 17 should be someplace along the connector portions 18 so that the converging ends 18a, 18b of the diamond-shaped apertures are tied together. This is important as will be subsequently explained because it facilitates the bending or folding over of these edges of the expanded metal fabric into flat, continuous, wide, edging portions.

While there might be other ways of forming this novel type of edging on an expanded metal fabric, or similar material, still, FIGS. 7-9 show a preferred apparatus for practising this invention. In FIG. 7 a strip of expanded metal 16 is run around a flanged gauging and bending roll 21 (see FIG. 8) that has grooves 22 inwardly of and adjacent to the gauging flanges 23. Flanges 23 can serve as gauges to make sure that the cut metal strips 16 are less than a predetermined maximum width. Gauging roll 21 can be formed from four discs that are adjustably mounted on shaft 25.

Gauging roll 21 has the grooved portions 22 thereof arranged to matingly receive the flanges 26 of an adjacent bending roll 27 Bending roll 27 can be formed from three annular collars or rings that are keyed to the shaft 28 as shown. The portions of the gauging roll 27 inwardly of and adjacent the flanges 26 are grooved as at 29 to provide recesses that cooperate with the adjacent folding roll 35 as will be subsequently explained.

Now first considering the action between the gauging roll 21 and the bending roll 27, it will be seen from FIG. 8, in particular, that the flanges 26 on the bending roll 27 press the opposite edge portions of the apertured flat strip 16 into the grooves 22 of the gauging roll 21 so that upturned strip edges 16a are formed at the sides of the expanded metal strip 16. These upturned edge portions 116a comprise approximately one-half of a diamondshaped aperture of the strip 16 with the outer portion thereof including the connected portion 18 that ties together the sides of the half diamond-shaped or triangular formations.

As the strip 16 is passed from the gauging roll 21 around the bending roll 27 and into engagement with the folding roll 35, the upturned edge portions 16a of the fabric strip 16 are pressed into engagement with the grooved portions 36 of the folding roll 35 which cooperate with the guide shoe 38 to fold the upturned edges 16a of the fabric 16 downwardly and thus form a smooth, continuous, relative wide, edging on the opposite edges of the fabric 16. The guide shoe 38 has portions adjacent to but spaced from the flanges 26 of the bending roll 27 so that the upturned edge portions 16a of the fabric 16 are held in narrow grooves during their contact with the grooved portions 36 of the folding roll 35 when the foldover operation of the edge portions 16a takes place.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are thought to show the manner in which the two legs 18a and 18b of the upturned fabric edge portions 16a are folded over. FIGS. 4- and which are to an enlarged scale, show that the leg portion ifib of each diamond-shaped formation along 16a is folded down as a unit whereas the leg portions 13a are each bent approximateiy in half and folded up reversely upon themselves so to speak. This fold-over operation provides an edging above the strip 16 that is smooth, continuous, and of a width of approximately equal to three thicknesses of the fabric material 16 because of the two thicknesses of the reversely bent leg 18a and the single leg 18b. This on larged width of the edging portion is of considerable advantage when the edge of the fabric is to be seated in and adhered to a plastic or similar material such as the end covers 41 of an air cleaner unit 42 such as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 shows a portion of an engine E having a carburetor 55) with an air intake pipe 51 on which the air cleaner 42 is mounted. From FIG. 2 it is thought to be clear that the enlarged width, continuous edgings along the upper and lower edges of the air cleaner fabric walls 16 provide excellent anchor portions for seating in a plastic cover such as the end covers 41 of the filter unit 42. Filter unit 42 also includes in addition to covers 41 and side walls 16 a filter material 43 that can be either paper, or fibrous filaments, or the like.

While the specific application of the smooth edged expanded strips 16 in an air filter is an important use of this invention, still, the invention is not to be limited to any one specific application but rather to the broad idea of an expanded metal fabric with a smooth, continuous, extra wide edging that may be formed as taught by this invention. The widened edge on the fabric is an advantage as is also the smooth continuous edge portion that eliminates sharp pointed single wires or the like as is common on edge cut hardware clotch or the like. Workers can readily handle fabric to which this invention has been applied without having to wear gloves to protect their hands. .lso the fabric can be readily stacked or rolled without the edge portions interlocking with adjacent or contiguous strips of material. Safe and speedy handling of fabric material is assured if the edge portions have been formed in accordance with this invention.

I claim:

1. An expanded metal fabric or the like having converging, connected, outwardly projecting, edge forming leg portions bent reversely upon themselves to for n a smooth, continuous, enlarged edging on the fabric of greater than twice the thickness of the fabric.

2. An expanded metal fabric having converging, connected, substantially triangular shaped, outwardly projecting, edge forming leg portions that have portions thereof folded inwardly to provide a smooth, continuous, thick edging on the fabric of greater than twice the thickness of the fabric.

3. An expanded metal fabric or the like that is performed to have outwardly projecting, converging, connected pairs of legs along the periphery thereof, said connected pm'rs of legs each being reshaped by doubling one leg upon itself while folding the other leg inwardly upon the doubled-over leg so that both legs extend along the fabric periphery to provide a smooth, continuous, relatively wide edging therefor of greater than twice the thickness of the fabric.

4. In an air cleaner or the like comprising upper and lower annular molded covers spaced apart and connected to the upper and lower end edges of concentrically arranged inner and outer expanded metal fabric cylinders, said end edges of said metal fabric cylinders comprising spaced pairs of outwardly projecting, converging, connected legs wherein one leg of each pair is folded upon itscif and the other leg is folded upon said one leg to provide smooth, continuous, relatively wide, edgings on said cylinders. of greater than twice the thickness of the fabric that provide offset means to anchor the fabric edgings in the moided covers.

5. The method of forming an edging on a piece of expanded metal fabric comprising forming the periphery of said fabric with spaced, outwardly projecting, converging, connected pairs of edge forming legs, and thereafter reshaping one leg of each pair by folding it upon itself while folding the other leg of each pair down upon the said one leg so that said pairs of legs extend lengthwise along the periphery of the fabric and provide a smooth, continuous, relatively thick edging of greater than twice the thickness of the fabric.

6. The method of forming a smooth, continuous, enlarged edging on the periphery of a piece of expanded metal or the like comprising cutting the periphery of the fabric so that it provides outwardly extending, converging, spaced pairs of connected legs in the plane of the fabric, bending said pairs of legs to a position substantially normal to the plane of said fabric while retaining the original shape of said connected pairs of legs, then folding said pairs of legs back into substantially the plane of said fabric by folding one leg of each of said pairs upon itself while folding the other leg of each of said pairs onto the said one leg in substantially the plane of the fabric so as to extend towards an adjacent pair of folded legs and provide edging portions of at least twice the thickness of the fabric.

7. The method of forming a smooth, continuous, enlarged edging on the periphery of a piece of expanded metal or the like comprising cutting the periphery of the fabric so that it provides outwardly extending, converging spaced pairs of connected legs in the plane of the fabric, then folding said pairs of legs into substantially the plane of said fabric by folding one leg of each of said pairs upon itself while folding the other leg of each of said pairs onto the said one leg in substantially the plane of the fabric so as to extend towards an adjacent pair of folded legs and provide edging portions of at least twice the thickness of the fabric.

8. The method of forming a smooth, continuous, enlarged edging on the periphery of a piece of expanded metal or the like comprising forming the periphery of the fabric so that it provides outwardly extending, converging, spaced pairs of connected legs in the plane of the fabric, bending said pairs of legs to a position substantially normal to the plane of said fabric while retaining the original shape of said connected converging pairs of legs, then folding said pairs of legs back into substantially the plane of said fabric by folding one leg of each of said pairs upon itself while folding the other leg of each of said pairs onto the said one leg in substantially the plane of the fabric so as to extend towards an adjacent pair of folded legs and provide edging portions of at least twice the thickness of the fabric.

9. The method of forming a smooth, continuous, enlarged edging on the periphery of a piece of expanded metal or the like comprising forming the periphery of the fabric so that it provides outwardly extending, converging, spaced pairs of connected legs in the plane of the fabric, bending said pairs of legs to a position substantially normal to the plane of said fabric while substantially retaining the original shape of said converging connected pairs of legs, then folding said pairs of legs in the plane normal to the plane of the fabric until they are flattened down into substantially the plane of said fabric by folding one leg of each of said connected pairs upon itself while folding the other leg of each of said pairs onto the said one leg in substantially the plane of the fabric so as to extend towards an adjacent pair of folded legs and provide edging portions of at least twice the thickness of the fabric.

10. An expanded metal fabric having a reinforced edging that is formed by providing a fabric with outwardly 5 projecting, converging, adjacently spaced, connected pairs of legs along the fabric edge portion with said connected pairs of legs each being reshaped to form the edging by doubling one leg of each pair upon itself while folding the other leg of each pair inwardly upon the doubled-over leg so that both legs extend substantially in the plane of the fabric along the periphery thereof and provide a smooth, continuous, flexible, extra strength edging.

11. The method of forming a smooth, continuous, reinforced edging on the periphery of a piece of expanded metal or the like comprising forming the periphery of the fabric so that it provides outwardly extending, converging, adjacently spaced pairs of connected legs in the plane of the fabric, bending said connected pairs of legs to a position substantially normal to the plane of said fabric while retaining the original shape of said connected converging pairs of legs, then folding said pairs of legs back into substantially the plane of said fabric by folding one leg of each of said pairs upon itself While folding the other leg of each of said pairs onto the said one leg with the pairs of bent legs extending in substantially the plane of the fabric.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,723,311 Stine Aug. 6, 1929 1,733,199 Myers Oct. 29, 1929 2,084,395 Heller June 22, 1937 2,141,400 Mack Dec. 27, 1938 2,308,855 Bartsch Jan. 19, 1943 2,341,097 Heebink Feb. 8, 1944 2,369,128 Bartsch Feb. 13, 1945 2,677,502 Denker et a1. May 4, 1954 2,804,905 Engel Sept. 3, 1957 2,830,359 Reinshagen Apr. 15, 1958 

